Automatic stamping apparatus



Sept. 13, 1966 J. c. KERAMAS AUTOMATIC STAMPING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-SheetFiled Nov. 5, 1964 INVENTOR. JAMES G. KERAMAS ATTORNEYS Sept. 313, 1966J. G. KERAMAS AUTOMATIC STAMPING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-5hee1 2 Filed NOV.5, 1964 INVENTOR. JAM ES G. KERAMAS ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,272,119 AUTOMATIC STAMPING APPARATUS James G. Keramas, 57 Kilby St.,Woburn, Mass. Filed Nov. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 408,601 11 Claims. (Cl.101-44) This invention relates to apparatus for stamping, marking orprinting coded indicia on each of a plurality of articles such ascontainers of food or the like.

It has heretofore been proposed, as in US. Patent 3,018,720 of January30, 1962, to Nichols, to stamp each of a plurality of containerscontinuously advancing on a conveyor, by means of a stamping head whichrolls slightly upon contact to avoid blurring due to the continuousmotion of the container. The repeated application of ink to the stamp,has also presented a problem in the prior art, the ink pad being mountedon a pivoted arm to move into the path of the stamping head in the abovementioned patent and in US. Patent 2,787,950 to Dorsch of April 9, 1957.

In this invention, the carrier continuously advances a line of abuttingcontainers but the line is temporarily halted, when each successivecontainer is sensed just in advance of a stamping station, by clampingof the preceding container then at the station. Where the carrier is aconveyor belt, the belt continues to advance by slippage under thehalted line of containers, the line resuming advance each time the clampreleases. While each container is at a halt, at the stamping station, astamping head, which normally faces away from the containers inengagement with a stationary ink pad, is first advanced while turningthrough 180 and then further advanced in a straight line while heldagainst turning, until it strikes and stamps the container withoutdanger of blurring or smudging. All of the clamping and stampingoperations are performed by air cylinders and pistons by means of an airswitch, the switch being actuated by an article actuated arm so thatthere is no dependence on escapement mechanisms, photo cells, solenoidsor electric switches and so that a positive, dependable, coding isachieved.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a ,rugged, low cost,marking apparatus for applying code numbers, or prices, individually andsuccessively to a line of abutting containers wherein mechanicallymovable parts are at a minimum, no movable gate is required to hold backthe containers and wherein actuation is pneumatic rather than electric.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stamping apparatus whichcan be affixed to a processing line to stamp containers which are nonrigid, of cubical or cylindrical configuration, provided with recessedor concave bottoms, or wherein the side, top or bottom walls requirecode indicia, all by simple adjustments of the parts of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel pneumaticmechanical means for sensing each container, yieldably clamping andholding down the container and yieldably, but clearly stamping thecontainer, whereby inflammable or volatile goods may be marked withlittle danger of explosion and no damage is imparted to delicatecontainers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide automatic feed,clamp, mark and release stamping apparatus having an accessible andremovable ink pad, which is not mounted on a moving part of theapparatus, so that the pad may be refilled with ink, or replaced, whilethe apparatus is in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from theclaims, the description of the drawings and from the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation thereof;

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FIGURE 3 is a diagram of the pneumatic control circuit;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, side elevation of the stamp housing and base;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation, with the cover removed, of the deviceshown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, side elevation in section on line 66 ofFIGURE 5 showing one position of the stamping head;

FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to FIGURE 6 showing other positionsof the stamping head during the stamping cycle, and

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic side elevation of another embodiment of theinvention.

As shown in the drawings, the automatic stamping, marking or printingapparatus 30 of the invention preferably includes a suitable frame 31,supporting an electric or air motor 32 and reducer 33. Motor 32 is ofthe explosion proof type.

Carrier means 34 preferably comprises a pair of smooth substantiallyfrictionless faced, endless belts 35 and 36, trained around a doubledrive pulley 37 on the shaft 38 of reducer 33, and around double, idlerpulleys 41 and 42, each at an opposite end 43 or 44 of frame 33.Suitable additional idler, or tension pulleys, 45 and 46 are mounted onframe 33.

The parallel, spaced apart, horizontal stretches 47 and 48 of the belts35 and 36 thus establish a path, or container line, 51, extending fromthe feed end 43 to the discharge end 44 of the apparatus 30, the pathincluding a stamping station 52. The drive of belts 35 and 36 iscontinuous, rather than intermittent so that a plurality of containers53 or other articles to be stamped, marked or printed, when depositedwith the bottoms 54, thereof straddling the stretches 47 and 48 andsupported at each opposite underside thereon, will be advancedcontinuously along the path. There are no spacing or registrationabutments on the belts 35 and 36 so that the feed is untimed and theapparatus is article actuated. When the line of containers istemporarily halted, by the sensing and clamping of each successivecontainer 53 at the stamping station, the containers in rear are halted,the belts slip under the bottoms thereof to continue advancing at thepredetermined speed and the containers beyond the stamping stationcontinue to advance to the discharge end 44. By adjusting the timeperiod, during which stamping takes place, the containers which arepreferably in abutting relationship in advance of the stamping stationcan be spaced at desired distances apart in rear of the stampingstation.

Suitable laterally adjustable side guides 55 and 56 are supported onframe pieces such as 57, to slidably engage and guide the opposite sidefaces 58 and 59 of the containers 53, which may be food or aerosol cans,bottles, plastic containers or the like, such as must be coded andpriced for supermarket use. Set screws 60, or any other well knownexpedient, may be used for lateral and vertical adjustment of guides 55and 56. The speed of the belts 35 and 36, is also adjustable, it havingbeen found that the apparatus of the invention performs accurately at upto 250 complete stamping cycles per minute with belt speed adjustedaccordingly, for example up to 250 feet per minute.

Sensing means The possible danger of explosion due to electric circuitryincluding photo cells or tubes, limit switches, solenoids, etc. in thevicinity of the stamping station when containers of inflammable materialsuch as paint are being coded has been avoided in this invention byusing pneumatic-mechanical means exclusively at the station 52. Asshown, the sensing means 63 comprises a pneumatic, switch, or valve, 64mounted on a side guide such as 56 and having an actuating arm, ortrigger, 65 nor- Combined clamping, holddown and halting means 70 isprovided, comprising at least one clamping element 71 and preferablytwo, oppositely disposed clamping elements such as 71 and 72. Eachclamping element is normally positioned alongside, and outside, the pathof containers 53 and is of suitable construction to engage the adjacentside face 58 or 59 of the particular type container to be marked.Usually such containers will be cylindrical so that each element 71 or72 while flat has a fiat inner face 73 of soft material such as foamrubber which conforms with, and compresses to, the configuration of thecontainer. Where a single clamping element is used, it may clamp thecontainer sidewise against a side guide, or downward against the carriermeans, but two laterally movable elements, or jaws moving in ahorizontal plane, in parallelism with the horizontal plane of the spacedapart belts of the carrier, are preferred. Each clamping element 71 or72 is mounted on a piston rod such as 74 or 75, each piston rod beingslidable in an air cylinder 76 or 77, the cylinders being adjustablymounted on suitable adjustable brackets 78 or 79 depending from a sideguide 55 or 56.

The piston rods and cylinders of each clamping element are termed thefirst, power actuated plunger means 80 herein, since similar plungermeans is also used for the stamping head. Preferably the stroke of eachmovable clamping element 71 and 72 is about one quarter of an inch, theinward travel thereof into contact with the side faces of each containerat station 52 exactly positioning the container above the stampingstation straddled by the container and belts. The container is not onlyhalted by the elements, together with the line of succeeding containers,but the pressure of the foam rubber faces tends to hold down thecontainer against the impulse impact of the upwardly travelling stampinghead.

Stamping means The stamping means 82, is mounted along path 51 atstamping station 52, preferably below the path and in the space 83between the parallel horizontal stretches 47 and 48 of carrier means 34,in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. Stamping means 82includes a movable stamping head 84, having coded indicia 85 thereon, inthe form of rubber printing type 86, slidably mounted in a dovetailgroove 87, so that it may be easily changed by substitution through theopposite open ends of the groove.

Preferably stamping means 82 includes a base 90, affixed under the bedplates 91 of the frame 31 to depend vertically downwardly below the path51 and having a slot 92 in one side wall 93.

The stamping head housing 94 includes an integral, laterally projectingboss 95, which passes through the slot 92 into the base, there being athrust screw 96 rotatable in the base and threaded in the boss foradjusting the relative positions of the housing and base, as well as asuitable locking set screw 97. The housing may thus be advanced orretracted on the base to enable the stamping head to reach into the pathof the containers to desired distances.

The housing 94 includes a removable cover 98, over a plunger compartment99 and a pair of parallel, upstanding, spaced apart slotted guides 101and 102 which extend normal to the path of the containers when the means82 is normal thereto. A laterally slidable tray 103, containing an inkpad 104, is mounted in grooves 105 and 106 at the inner end of guides101 and 102, so that the type 86 and indicia 85 on head 84 will engagethe pad at the terminus of the retraction stroke. The ink pad istherefore stationary and outside the path of the containers, but easilyremovable for substitution while the device is in operation. A springloaded detent 107 is provided to lock the head in advanced position sothat ink can be supplied to the pad when necessary, for example at theend of a run or at the end of a work day or to change pad 104, type 86or indicia 85.

On the outside of the guides 101 and 102, the arms 108 and 109 of a yoke112 are slidable, there being a pivot pin 113 extending between theterminal ends 114 and 115 of the arms which travels up and down in theslots of the guides. The head 84 is pivotally mounted on pin 113 andcamming mechanism 116 is provided on one side, to turn the head throughan angle of 180 proximate the ink pad portion of its stroke, whileguiding mechanism 117 is provided on the other side to prevent turningof the head proximate the container portion of its stroke.

Camming mechanism 116 includes an integral lug depending from one sideof head 84 and having a pair of teeth 118 and 119 arranged to engage apair of laterally projecting inwardly extending, pins 120 and 121 on thelnner face 122 of guide 102. The pins and teeth cause the stamping head84, when advanced by the yoke in the guides, to turn from normal ink padengaging position to container impacting position in the preliminaryport1on of the stroke and before reaching the path of the containers.The slot 123 in guide 102 accommodates only the pivot pin 113.

Guiding mechanism 117 includes an integral slider 125 depending from,and projecting laterally outwardly from head 84, the slider being ofangular configuration and slidable in the slot 126 in guide 101. Acurved recess 127 in one edge of slot 126 permits the slider 125 to turnwhen the head 84 is turned by the camming mechanism, but upon furtheradvance of the head by the yoke and toward the path 51 of thecontainers, the close tolerance of the angular slider in the slot keepsthe head on a rectilinear path exactly normal to the path (FIG- URES 6,7, 8 and 9). a

The second power actuated plunger means 130 is similar to plunger means80 and comprises an air cylinder 131, and air piston 132, the piston 132being fixed to the yoke 112, to turn and advance the head.

Control circuit means As shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 3 thepneumatic circuit, or system, 133 which includes, and is actuated by,the switch 64 through conduit 67, includes the time delay, diaphragmtype valve 134 which permits pressurized air to pass first to thecylinders 76 and 77 through air conduits 135 and 136 to advance theclamp- 1ng elements 71 and 72 for gripping a container, and then permitspressurized air to pass to the cylinder 131 through conduit 137 toadvance the piston 132, yoke 112 and stamping head 84 through its longerstroke of about 1 /2 to 2 inches. After the clamping, halting andstamping cycle is completed with a clear precise code stamped on acontainer 53, a by-pass to the valve 134 closes the valve and opens thesystem to the atmosphere at outlet port 138, thereby permitting sensingair valve 64 and arm 65 to return to normal position ready to sense thenext successive container in the line. A pressure control valve 141 isinterposed in conduit 137, of a commercially available type such as theColorfiow of Manatrol Co., Cleveland, Ohio, so that the impact of thehead 84 may be light or heavy and may be adjustable during operation forimprint control.

As shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 10, the carrier means of theinvention may be a downwardly inclined plate, or trough, 150 having asubstantially frictionless bottom 151 formed by a pair of parallel,nylon or Teflon strips which straddle a stamping station 152. Theclamping means 153, is a disc-like plate 154 having a flat lower face155 and actuated by first plunger means 156 corresponding to means 80.An air switch 157, stamping means 158 and control circuit means 159 areall similar to switch 64, means 82 and circuit means 133 respectively.

As shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 3 the arm 65 of pneumatic switch 64,is provided with a roller 160 for engaging the articles, and is pivotedat 161, there being a pivoted link 162 pivoted at 163 and having aroller 164 engaged by arm 65. Link 162 engages the push button 165 ofthe switch, the button having a return spring 166 which restores theparts to normal position. The outlet port of the switch is designated167.

Each piston 74, 75 and 132 has a suitable return spring such as 168 forreturning it to normal position when air pressure is released.

The diaphragm valve 134 is of the type designated Model 125A of theHumphery Corporation and is commercially available. The check valve 170,filter 171, pressure regulator 172, gauge 173, and lubricator 174 arealso commercially available and well known.

The time delay by-pass 175 includes the conduit 176, flow control valve177 and the elongated portion 178 so that air passes into one side ofvalve 134 at about two c.f.m. from conduit 67 to actuate the system, buta portion is by-passed int-o conduit 176, reduced to about .1 c.f.m. byvalve 177, and, after .a predetermined delay due to the length of theportion 173, enters the other side of valve 134 to dea'ctuate the sameand permit spring return of the parts to normal position.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for automatically stamping coded indicia on a plurality ofsubstantially identical containers, said apparatus comprising;

carrier means movable in a predetermined plane, said means supportingand advancing said containers individually and successively, in aligned,abutting relationship along a path which includes a stamping station;

sensing means mounted along said path and including article actuatedmeans in said path, in advance of said station for sensing the. arrivalof each successive container at said station;

container clamping means mounted at said station,

said means including at least one clamping element movable in apredetermined plane and adapted to engage the adjacent portion of acontainer at said station;

first power actuated plunger means operably connected to said clampingelement and responsive to said sensing means for moving each saidelement into said path to temporarily halt, and hold down, eachsuccessive container at said station, and thereby halt, the abuttingcontainers in rear thereof;

stamping means, mounted below said station, said means including astamping head bearing said coded indicia, said head being movable in aplane normal to the plane of said carrier means and an ink pad, saidindicia and pad being normally in inking engagement outside of saidpath;

second power actuated plunger means operably connected to said head andresponsive to said sensing means for moving said head upwardly into saidpath to apply said coded indicia to each successive container only aftersaid container has been clamped temporarily halted and held down at saidstation, and

control circuit means including a source of power, said sensing means,said first plunger means and said second plunger means for energizingeach said means in a predetermined sequence.

2. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said carrier means is apower driven, continuously moving, endless belt conveyor having .ahorizontal stretch extending along said path for conveying said line ofsaid containers therealong in abutting relationship;

said conveyor having a smooth substantially frictionless, surface tocontinue moving under the line of containers supported thereon when saidline is temporarily at rest during each successive stamping at saidstation and the plane of movement of each said clamping element is inparallelism with the plane of movement of said horizontal stretch ofsaid conveyor.

3. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said carrier means is adownwardly inclined, substantially frictionless trough adapted tosupport a line of abutting containers therein, and

said clamping element is a disc-like, soft faced element poised abovesaid path and trough but movable downwardly in a plane normal to theinclined plane of said trough each successive element against saidtrough in a position of rest at said station.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said carrier means is apair of spaced apart, smooth faced endless belts with parallelhorizontal stretches extending along said path to straddle said stampingstation while advancing a line of abutting containers therealong, saidstamping head is operable in the space between said pair of belts tostamp the bottom face of each successive container at said station, and

a pair of said clamping elements are each disposed on an opposite sideof said container path, at said station to move into said path and gripthe opposite side faces of each successive container in said line tohalt and hold down the same during said upwardly directed stamping atsaid station.

5. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said sensing means is apneumatic switch including an actuating arm in the path of saidcontainers;

said first plunger means includes a pneumatic cylinder and piston formoving each said clamping element;

said second plunger means includes a pneumatic cylinder and piston formoving said stamping head, and

said control circuit means includes a source of air under pressure,pneumatic time delay means for actuating said first plunger means priorto the actuation of said second plunger means and air conduitsconnecting said switch and pneumatic cylinders together.

6. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said stamping means andsecond plunger means include cooperable camming mechanism for turningsaid stamping head through an angle of 180 when said head is movingtoward and away from the vicinity of said ink pad and cooperable guidemechanism including a guide having a recessed slot and an angular slidermovable in the slot for holding said stamping head against turning whensaid head is moving toward and away from the vicinity of a container atsaid station.

7. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein:

said plunger means are air operated, the source of power of said circuitmeans is air under pressure and said control circuit means includes anelongated bypass conduit for de-energizing said circuit at apredetermined time after each energization thereof.

8. In an automatic stamping, marking or printing apparatus;

a pair of spaced apart, smooth-faced, conveyor stretches advancinghorizontally and continuously along a path including a stamping station,said conveyor carrying a line of abutting identical containers to bestamped;

sensing means mounted along said path, in advances of said station tosense the arrival at said station of each successive container carriedon said conveyor;

at least one clamping element movably mounted alongside said path, atsaid station, said element having a flat inner face of soft, foamrubber-like material, movable horizontally to enter said path, strikeagainst a side of, resist vertical upward movement of and temporarilyhalt each said container so sensed by said sensing means, said containertemporarily halting the advance of all abutting containers in rearthereof;

a stamping head movably mounted below said path, at said station, in thespace between said belts, said head being movable vertically to entersaid path, strike against the bottom of, and stamp each said containerso sensed and halted at said station, and

pneumatic control and actuation means responsive to said sensing meansand operatively connected to said element and head, said means includingpneumatic time delay means for first actuating said clamping element andthen actuating said stamping head on each successive container sensed bysaid sensing means.

9. An automatic stamping apparatus for applying coded indiciaindividually and successivley to a plurality of articles continuouslyadvancing in abutting relationship along a path, said apparatuscomprising:

a housing having a pair of parallel, spaced apart upstanding, slottedguides adapted to be mounted substantially normal to said path, the slotin one said guide :having a slider recess;

a yoke having a pair of arms each mounted to slide outside of one ofsaid guides, said yoke having a pivot pin extending between the terminalends of said arms and slidable in the slots of said fixed guides;

a stamping head, bearing coded indicia at one end and pivotally mountedon said pivot pin at the other end, said head including a toothed lugdepending from one side thereof;

a pair of pins extending laterally and inwardly midway of one of saidguides to engage said toothed lug, when said yoke moves said head midwayof said slots and turn said head through an angle of 180;

a slider depending from the other side of said head and a fluid actuatedplunger connected to said yoke for moving the same along said guides toturn and advance said head into contact with said articles.

10. Apparatus as specified in claim 9 plus an ink pad normally fixedbetween said guides in position to engage said indicia when said head isin retracted position, and tray means supporting said pad and slidablymounted in said guides for enabling said pad to be replaced.

11. Apparatus as specified in claim 9 plus a base adapted to be fixedalongside the said path, said base having a slot in one side wallthereof;

a boss extending laterally from said housing through said slot into saidbase, and

a thrust screw rotatable in said base and threaded in said boss foradjusting the relative positions of said housing and base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 339,293 4/1886Hill 101334 2,842,046 7/1958 Murray 10l44 2,908,219 10/1959 Clauss 101443,115,826 12/1963 Reinhardt et al. 101334 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, PrimaryExaminer.

WILLIAM MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY STAMPING CODED INDICIA ON A PLURALITY OFSUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL CONTAINERS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING; CARRIERMEANS MOVABLE IN A PREDETERMINED PLANE, SAID MEANS SUPPORTING ANDADVANCING SAID CONTAINERS INDIVIDUALLY AND SUCCESSIVELY, IN ALIGNED,ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP ALONG A PATH WHICH INCLUDES A STAMPING STATION;SENSING MEANS MOUNTED ALONG SAID PATH AND INCLUDING ARTICLE ACTUATEDMEANS IN SAID PATH, IN ADVANCE OF SAID STATION FOR SENSING THE ARRIVALOF EACH SUCCESSIVE CONTAINER AT SAID STATION; CONTAINER CLAMPING MEANSMOUNTED AT SAID STATION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE CLAMPINGELEMENT MOVABLE IN A PREDETERMINED PLANE AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THEADJACENT PORTION OF A CONTAINER AT SAID STATION; FIRST POWER ACTUATEDPLUNGER MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID CLAMPING ELEMENT AND RESPONSIVETO SAID SENSING MEANS FOR MOVING EACH SAID ELEMENT INTO SAID PATH TOTEMPORARILY HALT, AND HOLD DOWN, EACH SUCCESSIVE CONTAINER AT SAIDSTATION, AND THEREBY HALT, THE ABUTTING CONTAINERS IN REAR THEREOF;STAMPING MEANS, MOUNTED BELOW SAID STATION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING ASTAMPING HEAD BEARING SAID CODED INDICIA, SAID HEAD BEING MOVABLE IN APLANE NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF SAID CARRIER MEANS AND AN INK PAD, SAIDINDICIA AND PAD BEING NORMALLY IN INKING ENGAGEMENT OUTSIDE OF SAIDPATH; SECOND POWER ACTUATED PLUNGER MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAIDHEAD AND RESPONSIVE TO SAID SENSING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID HEAD UPWARDLYINTO SAID PATH TO APPLY SAID CODED INDICIA TO EACH SUCCESSIVE CONTAINERONLY AFTER SAID CONTAINER HAS BEEN CLAMPED TEMPORARILY HALTED AND HELDDOWN AT SAID STATION, AND CONTROL CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING A SOURCE OFPOWER, SAID SENSING MEANS, SAID FIRST PLUNGER MEANS AND SAID SECONDPLUNGER MEANS FOR ENERGIZING EACH SAID MEANS IN A PREDETERMINEDSEQUENCE.